Last Updated: May 31, 2019 (Refresh Now)
General Finishes CQ Oil Base Gel Stain 1 Quart Candlelite
Last Updated: May 31, 2019 (Refresh Now)
9.1
SCORE
/10
Total Reviews
799
Old Reviews
188
Unverified
24
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Review Analysis - 587 recent, verified reviews
Detailed Mode
Ease of Use
126easy to apply, easy, easy to work, results, finish
+99%
" ... It has been the easiest to use with depth and integrity achieved ! ... "
" ... It's very easy to use. ... "
" ... Looks fantastic, so easy to use. ... "
" ... Easy to use and beautiful results!! ... "
" ... It was easy to apply. ... "
" ... Easy to work with and will be doing my fireplace mantel and big bookshelf with it. ... "
" ... Great quality, easy to apply ... "
" ... Easy to use and the color is beautiful. ... "
Design
120cabinets, coat, stain, paint, coats
+94%
-6%
" ... I can't tell you the difference this made in updating the look. ... "
" ... This is the prettiest color of brown you will ever buy and the paint goes on so smooth ... "
" ... I went from those tacky/yellowy oak, developer grade handrails to something that looks strong and modern. ... "
" ... I get so many compliments! ... "
" ... The product goes on like paint. ... "
" ... It is absolutely perfect for when you want dark but not the harshness of black. ... "
" ... Wonderful paint , I painted my baby crib and it looks like it came originally black . ... It’s so shiny and pretty ... "
" ... You would need 2 coat to make it look even. ... "
Cleaning
110wipe, brush, gel stain, cabinets, stains
+85%
-15%
" ... It is not "runny" like many stains and easy to work with. ... "
" ... Absolutely loved this stain! ... "
" ... The stain covered both surfaces just fine and the wood grain shows through nicely. ... "
" ... The gel stain is easy to use and doesn't drip like other stains. ... "
" ... Love this stain! ... "
" ... I love General Finishes and never have any issues with the stain bleeding. ... "
" ... I love this stain i put it on using a kitchen sponge!! ... "
" ... I chose a semi gloss because it's easier to clean it the kitchen. ... "
Color
103stain, rich, dark, coats, java
+89%
-11%
" ... One of the boards was always lighter but had bleached to a gold color. ... "
" ... I am glad I went with antique walnut was the color I was going for. ... "
" ... Image with honey color is before picture, from a previous owner, when the house was listed. ... "
" ... A little goes a long way and the color was perfect for my project. ... "
" ... nice color, nothing unexpected, decided I prefer working with liquid stain ... "
" ... I do love the color, but won't be buying again because I don't think it's worth the extra price. ... "
" ... Tried another brand first and hated the cherry color. ... "
" ... This is the prettiest color of brown you will ever buy and the paint goes on so smooth ... "
Build Quality
64stain, coats, coat, top coat, poly
+77%
-23%
" ... re-stained a table, once you get the hang of it it works great, would suggest trying on a test piece of wood first ... "
" ... Durable long lasting. ... "
" ... I highly recommend it for anyone going over previously stained or lacquered wood. ... "
" ... I use the satin clear coat to finish. ... "
" ... Paint right over other wood furniture without having to strip or sand. ... "
" ... I then used the General Finishes High Performance in Satin for the top coat. ... "
" ... That being said, now that it is done and cured, it seems fairly durable. ... "
" ... Used it to finish a fiberglass door and the results were fantastic, people think it's actually wood. ... "
Comfort
45stain, hands, gloves, sock, easy to use
+89%
-11%
" ... Use a stiff made in the USA foam brush and use long strokes. ... "
" ... This gel stain is fantastic. ... "
" ... The gel stain however was so easy to work with. ... It will stain your skin pretty good. ... "
" ... This gel stain is easy to use, and I actually think it smells great. ... "
" ... I used it on the trim of an old arm chair, and it was great. ... "
" ... I love how easy to use it is, but be sure to wear gloves as it'll stain your hands. ... "
" ... I love gel stain I use it all the time. ... "
" ... Loved this gel stain . ... "
Capacity
42cabinets, bathroom, bathroom vanity, oak, vanity
+98%
-2%
" ... Used this to redo kids bathroom. ... "
" ... We did all 3 bathroom cabinets, staircase rails and they all turned out Awesome!!! ... "
" ... After seeing raving reviews, I was so excited to revamp our builders-grade bathroom cabinets. ... I decided to do my entire kitchen too! ... "
" ... Perfect for refinishing my whole bedroom. ... "
" ... I’m in the process of giving my bathroom a makeover and I came across this. ... "
" ... We used to have Cedar garage doors in our previous home and I absolutely loved them when we moved to our current home I did not want the expense of the cedar doors but I hated the look of the metal garage doors so I decided to try Gel Stain. ... "
" ... I used this product on my bathroom vanity a few years ago. ... "
" ... Family and friends love the result. ... "
Drying
31coats, dries, coat, stain, let it dry
+87%
-13%
" ... I found that I preferred letting it dry without wiping as the furniture was previously stained a cherry oak and the red tones cane thru. ... "
" ... let it dry 24 hours and apply the second The third is magic. ... "
" ... Be sure to let it dry completely before next coat for best results. ... "
" ... Goes on like a dream, just the right amount of drying time. ... "
" ... I love that once it dries you can still see the natural wood grain. ... "
" ... No sanding is required and drying time was pretty fast. ... "
" ... Once dried, another coat worked great to cover any errant brush strokes. ... "
" ... Let it dry again- add your poly. ... "
Marketplace
23seller, see, pics, amazon, photos
+87%
-13%
" ... Got the new hardware on amazon, too. ... "
" ... See my pics. ... "
" ... On a separate note, I’d order from another seller. ... "
" ... I came to Amazon and read all the reviews and decided I could do it too! ... Thanks Amazon and general finishes! ... "
" ... This is my 2nd order I added 2 before pics just so you see the difference ... "
" ... The grey is a blue grey not like in the picture. ... "
" ... This is our second time ordering this product. ... "
" ... Before and after pics attached to this review. ... "
Storage
20cabinets, cabinet, oak, kitchen cabinets, kitchen
+80%
-20%
" ... I practiced on some free cabinet doors that I picked up. ... "
" ... The half-pint size was plenty to complete all of these. ... "
" ... I practiced with a cabinet in my laundry room. ... "
" ... Our kitchen cabinets were honey oak and after looking at a lot of products we decided to go with this one. ... Honestly I almost didn't because it seemed almost too easy and who wants to screw up an entire kitchen full of cabinets? ... "
" ... And long sleeves. ... "
" ... I loved the general finishes so much I bought a second can ( of driftwood milk paint) and did my daughters dresser really brought it to life. ... "
" ... And then the kitchen cabinets are next. ... "
" ... I was extremely intimidated to refinish my kitchen cabinets. ... "
Price
18saved, worth, price, worth the price, waste
+83%
-17%
" ... Nobody can tell we did it ourselves and it saved us tons of money! ... "
" ... Works wonders & worth the price ... "
" ... This can saved me hundreds of dollars. ... "
" ... I'd recommend this to any homeowner wanting to save a lot of money. ... "
" ... Definitely worth getting! ... "
" ... BEST product on the market!! ... "
" ... It's also a good price for the product. ... "
" ... I do love the color, but won't be buying again because I don't think it's worth the extra price. ... "
Washer Dryer
14let, dries, coats, let it dry, drying time
+93%
-7%
" ... It dries fast. ... "
" ... Dries quickly and looks great. ... "
" ... Extremely easy to use and dries fairly quickly. ... Looks better the more I dries and only needed two coats. ... "
" ... I let my cabinets dry overnight and hung them the next day. ... "
" ... Goes on like a dream, just the right amount of drying time. ... "
" ... Great color - applies easily - dries evenly. ... "
" ... I waited a full 24 hours after each coat to allow for drying. ... "
" ... It is amazing takes for ever to dry! ... "
Video Playback
13youtube videos, videos, video, general finishes, application
+100%
" ... I learned this trick from the General Finishes application videos. ... "
" ... Watched as many YouTube videos as possible regarding application - settling for a process part way between what the manufacturer suggests and what others have found work, and the cabinets turned out beautiful! ... "
" ... Well I watched some videos on youtube and my husband and I decided to tackle this on our own. ... "
" ... Would suggest to watching a few satin YouTube videos before you work with this product. ... "
" ... Watched YouTube videos for instructions. ... "
" ... Well, I read reviews and watched videos AND my first application I still put on wrong. ... "
" ... I refinished my banister and watched YouTube videos about this product!! ... "
" ... Just watch a couple of the YouTube videos from the company, and you are pretty much DIY'ing that day! ... "
Door
12doors, stain, wood, fiberglass, coat
+92%
-8%
" ... I prefer using an old sock when staining cabinets, but for my garage door, I used a foam roller. ... "
" ... I only did one coat on the pine doors. ... "
" ... Needless to say, they are still streaky, but they already look like new doors! ... "
" ... I used it on 4 interior barn doors and it took them from nice to WOW!! ... "
" ... I was planning to use this on our banister, half bath cabinets and some barn doors. ... "
" ... Used it to finish a fiberglass door and the results were fantastic, people think it's actually wood. ... Also used it on my French doors which are actually made of wood and on an antique dining room table. ... "
" ... You'd never know it was the same doors. ... "
" ... Stained the front door and love how it turned out, looks brand new. ... "
Product As Described
12see, pics, photos, attached, show
+92%
-8%
" ... This is my 2nd order I added 2 before pics just so you see the difference ... "
" ... Here are the pictures. ... "
" ... I know there is not at a lot of pictures of the walnut finish. ... "
" ... See my pics. ... "
" ... The grey is a blue grey not like in the picture. ... "
" ... Here are some before and after pics. ... "
" ... The pics show before and after. ... "
" ... Item as described ... "
Setup
10directions, sanding, project, professional, followed the instructions
+100%
" ... I found that I can refinish anything and make it look professional ... "
" ... Not as easy to apply as advertised. ... Please, please visit the website and follow their directions exactly. ... "
" ... Just follow the instructions ... "
" ... Do follow tips provided by other users it makes it so much easier to apply. ... "
" ... Follow instructions found on several you tubes and go for it. ... "
" ... Looks very professional. ... "
" ... Follow the directions and tape off your project. ... "
" ... I would warn others that this is NOTone of those "cheap, painless, easy fixes/solutions" but rather a tool that if you take the time (5 days, 6 coats and a whole lot of sanding) is worth the outcome. ... "
Software Platform
10gray, walnut, turned, mahogany, error
+70%
-30%
" ... Java hides imprecations better than the antique walnut and is more forgiving. ... "
" ... Really satisfied with java stain ... "
" ... I used the java. ... "
" ... I used the java color on my staircase and it turned out amazing. ... "
" ... Java is very dark, almost black. ... "
" ... The gray goes on just as nice as the Java . ... "
Product Reliability
10years, working, worked, product, try
+90%
-10%
" ... I am doing several project to match new flooring that is coming into the house in a few weeks. ... "
" ... Try it yourself and you will love working with it! ... "
" ... I used this product on my bathroom vanity a few years ago. ... "
" ... Worked very well. ... "
" ... but ugh, its like working with black tar. ... "
" ... Product worked well. ... "
" ... Been using for years. ... "
" ... I've used this brand time and time again. ... "
Network
10good, easy to use, took, coats, stains
+100%
" ... Easy to apply and the coverage is remarkable. ... "
" ... Goes on smooth, doesn't splash & splatter all over the place, like other stains and it has great even coverage. ... "
" ... We liked the full coverage look. ... "
" ... Great coverage, took three coats to cover entire kitchen table top. ... "
" ... It took 3 coats for a good coverage. ... "
Returns
8returned, item, refunded, money, back
+13%
-88%
" ... You are stuck! ... "
" ... Too small my for the job that I needed to do and unable to return. ... "
" ... The other product wasn’t just dented, but looked used and returned. ... "
" ... I bought 2 can based off all the positive feedback on here, but now I’m unhappy and can’t return this item ... "
" ... The item cannot be returned, which is why I'm giving this one star. ... "
" ... I tried to return but it is non returnable which does not state when I ordered it ... "
" ... Not eligible for return. ... "
Delivery
8product, came, arrived, time, packaged
+38%
-63%
" ... Received with the box damaged and the Gel stain was coming outside of the box . ... "
" ... Product arrived open and leaking. ... "
" ... Can came dented up as well as another product I purchased from them. ... "
" ... Didn't even bubble wrap it either. ... "
" ... Not impressed with the condition my stain was delivered in. ... "
Floors
7used, stair, worked, stain, rail
+100%
" ... Had to match a handrail to my floor. ... "
" ... Worked great for updating my stairs! ... "
" ... We used this on our stair rail and it did the trick completely! ... "
" ... I love this gel stain it is amazing, I have used to to finish my stairs, stair railing and refinished a bathroom vanity and a fireplace mantel. ... "
" ... My stairs now look like we got a new house,and even our old carpet looks much better. ... "
" ... Saved me a ton of time doing my stairs. ... "
" ... Did my stair rails. ... "
Ease of Cleaning
7clean, wipe, paint, use, easy to apply
+100%
" ... Make sure you have mineral spirits/paint thinner on hand for easy clean up of spills! ... "
" ... Minimal preparation with easy clean up. ... "
" ... They are very easy to clean, just wipe with a cloth and they clean up nicely! ... "
" ... No mess, easy clean up. ... "
" ... Cleans up easy and goes on easy. ... "
" ... The paint is easy to use, sand a bit, apply it and wipe it. ... "
Camera
7see, pics, photos, show, attached
+100%
" ... ) Adding before and after pictures. ... "
" ... Will post pictures when I am completely done. ... "
" ... All the pictures in reviews all awesome. ... "
" ... See my pics. ... "
" ... Here are some before and after pics. ... "
" ... The pics show before and after. ... "
" ... Here are the pictures. ... "
Fit
6like, fit, far, even
+50%
-50%
" ... Well, it bubbles and was rough and didn’t work. ... "
" ... They didn't have the little metal prongs on the lid to hold it down like they have had before from general finishes. ... "
" ... I even belt sanded it to prep. ... "
Clarity
5coat
+80%
-20%
" ... Clear satin topcoat. ... "
" ... So far it's holding up and that's without a clear coat. ... "
" ... Then put a clear coat on it. ... "
" ... Now for the clear coat! ... "
Water Resistance
5finishes, coat, went, general, finish
+100%
" ... I had even sanded off the water based General Finishes clear coat. ... "
" ... The general finishes water based topcoat went on smooth in satin finish and the result is AMAZING these are 30 year old vanity, real custom built wood, it will last another 30 years for sure. ... "
" ... Save your brushes for re-use on subsequent coats by leaving them submerged in mineral spirits. ... "
" ... They went from an ugly, water stained and sun faded finish to beautiful and new looking. ... "
" ... I just ordered the water based paint semi gloss Top Coat and am excited to see how it finishes when I'm done. ... "
Size
5way, small, long, little, goes
+80%
-20%
" ... I should have ordered a bigger size. ... "
" ... Worth it to buy in bulk! ... "
" ... Little bit goes a long way! ... "
" ... Excellent product, but notice small size! ... "
Picture Quality
4show, reviews, see, post, coats
+100%
" ... Will post pictures when I am completely done. ... "
" ... All the pictures in reviews all awesome. ... "
" ... Please see our before and after pictures. ... "
" ... Here are the pictures. ... "
For Fun
3stain, easy
+100%
" ... It was a fun job and this stain made it easier to get the results that I wanted. ... "
Defective Delivery
3product, opened, came, stain, open
-100%
" ... Received with the box damaged and the Gel stain was coming outside of the box . ... "
" ... Product arrived open and leaking. ... "
" ... The can was damaged when I opened it. ... "
Hair
3time, sander, palm, finish
-100%
" ... So I stripped them down with mineral spirits and broke out the palm sander, sanding every square inch of my cabinets to insure that there was absolutely no finish left from the original finish (which basically defeated the purpose of purchasing this because I was being lazy and didn’t want to do a complete strip down). ... "
" ... My biggest issues were my own sloppiness and the pet hair in my house getting into my work. ... "
" ... This time does not to include the stripping and sanding and the curing time. ... "
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Specifications
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